Kurdistan Region exported its pomegranates for the first time ever to Gulf nations. This was the Region's first non-oil export and a significant development in its efforts to diversify its economy. The CEO of Sazan's Pomegranate Company, Faraydoon Namdar, said that they have prepared 1000 tons for export and have shipped 20 tons of pomegranates to the United Arab Emirates. In the UAE, the pomegranates grown in Kurdistan were favorably received.

Over the past ten years, the production of pomegranate has substantially expanded. Pomegranate production in Kurdistan as a whole climbed from 9,708 tons in 2008 to 29,338 tons in 2018. Begard Talabani, the minister of agriculture and water resources for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), announced her department's plans to brand and export pomegranates as uniquely Kurdish, making agriculture a significant source of income for both the public and private sectors.

In addition to pomegranates, the Kurdistan region can produce a wide range of other fruits and goods that may be traded with neighboring nations and be used as a source of income to support local farmers by shifting the focus from oil export to agriculture. The region can also become self-sufficient in this way.

According to data from the ministry of agriculture, the Kurdistan Region imported fruits and vegetables worth $7.1 billion from other countries between 2004 and 2014, primarily from Turkey and Iran.

One of the KRI's largest crops is wheat. In the previous ten years, the amount of land used for wheat farming has expanded by 80%, and the KRI now produces about one million ton of wheat annually. That, among all other products, can serve the economy of the region in different ways.  The prime minister also shared that “Kurdistan’s agriculture has untold potential. We want to see Halabja pomegranates compete globally; apples in the Berwari valley exported, walnuts from Hawraman, tahini from Amedi, figs of Akre and other products each tell their own story in new markets.”

The first step has been taken, with the hope that all the rest will follow.

By: Barez Ali

Armenia, a landlocked country in the Middle East, is home to the Armenian people. Due to its unique culture and religious background, the country has had a long history of persecution and survival. It has nevertheless produced artists who have contributed to the survival of their artistic background. From the time of Sayat Nova to 20th-century philosophers, their stand and take on the world with regard to music, poetry, science, politics, religion, and thinking was evident.

Much like the Yazidi-Kurdish Writer Casime Celil, who managed to flee persecution and genocide and found shelter in Armenia, Armenians also have a long history of protecting and safeguarding Kurdish art and works.

In music, the traditional style of Dengbêj (often times translated into sound-teller but commonly understood as a storyteller) had the enormous contribution of Karapetê Xaço. Born in the Ottoman Empire, he would go on to survive the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide and would live amongst the Kurdish population to slowly acquire the traditional and tonal style that has shaped the genre of storytelling.

Another artist who found popularity to this day might be Aram Tigran.  Being an Armenian born in Syria, Tigran would find interest in the Oud instrument at an early age and would give public concerts at Newroz events. His most popular songs include Ay Dilbere, Lo Lo Pismamo, and Penaber.

In 1926, the Soviet Armenian Filmmaker Hamo Beknazarian directed his silent feature film Zare. Although soviet in production and Armenian in its making, the film is centered around a Kurdish story that takes place in the traditional areas of Kurdistan with the main characters being of Kurdish origins.

By: Birhat Atrushi

This year, the British media BBC featured a list of 100 inspiring and influential women. Four Kurdish women were spotted on the list, all of whom are well-known for their extraordinary roles in conflict zones. This is 100 Women's 10th season, so we're exploring the last decade's progress. While women's rights have made great strides, from the number of female leaders to the MeToo movement, many women still feel they have a long way to go.The list also reflects the role of women in conflict around the world in 2022, from Iranian protesters to Ukrainian and Russian women. We will elaborate on the roles of the four women, Zara Mohammadi (Teacher), Roya Piraei (Activist), Roza Salih (Politician), and Nigar Marf (Nurse).

Zara Mohammadi, a Kurd from Iran's Sanandaj,  was granted the title for her brave achievements. As an educator and proponent of teaching Kurdish, she was arrested for "forming groups to disrupt national security." She received a 5-year prison sentence which sparked protests by Kurds in Iran, Iraq and the west.The country's constitution allows teaching regional and ethnic languages in schools, but many in those areas say it's not done. Additionally, she co-founded Nojin Socio-Cultural Association to promote the Kurdish language.

Furthermore, Roya Piraei became an icon of the mass protests sparked by the death of Kurdish-Iranian girl Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in September when a photo of her at the grave of her mother, Minoo Majidi, was published as stared defiantly at the camera with her head shaved. She was recently welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron, and interviewed by Angelina Jolie.

Roza Salih, a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), is a Kurdish woman who fled to the UK with her family to escape Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. As a member of the Glasgow Girls group, she has become well-known for her advocacy on behalf of asylum seekers.The Greater Pollok ward recently elected her as an SNP councillor and she has co-founded the Scottish Solidarity with Kurdistan.

Nigar Marf, a nurse based in Sulaimani province in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, treats women who have set themselves on fire at the city's health center. Her 25 years of experience in the burns unit include both intensive care and pediatric burns.

These Kurdish women have done a lot to promote not only human rights, but also humanity. The role of women has been important for a long time, not just for Kurdish women and women in the Middle East, but also for women around the world.

By: Baniz Wasman

Generational Trauma and The Importance of Healing We know that the color of our hair and eyes is passed to us through generations, from grandparents to parents and then to us, but what about trauma, is it possible that it can be passed to us through generations? Generational trauma is a trauma that extends from one generation to the next affecting the individual even if they didn't experience the trauma themselves. It can be silent, covert, and undefined, surfacing through nuances and inadvertently taught or implied throughout someone's life from an early age onward. Generational trauma was first recognized when the American Psychological Association, in 1966, Canadian psychiatrist Vivian M. Rakoff, MD, and Dr. Rakoff's colleagues recorded high rates of psychological distress among children of individuals who survived the Holocaust, in theory, any type of extreme, prolonged stress could have adverse psychological effects on children and grandchildren, resulting in clinical anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Any generation that experienced colonization, cultural genocide, forced migration, prolonged war, abuse, poverty, and racism is vulnerable to generational trauma. The symptoms of generational trauma are primarily psychological, they may include hypervigilance, a sense of a shortened future, mistrust, aloofness, high anxiety, dissociation, and depersonalization, or a sense of disconnection and detachment from your body and feelings, panic attacks, nightmares, insomnia, a sensitive fight or flight response, and issues with self-esteem and self-confidence; it can also affect the microglia, the brain's immune system. "When in a high trauma reactive state, the microglia eat away at nerve endings instead of enhancing growth and getting rid of damage," Dr. DeSilva said. "The microglia go haywire in the brain and cause depression, anxiety, and dementia. This can decode into genetic changes, which can be passed down to further generations.". You may not be able to rewrite your genes or change your past, but you can certainly take steps to address your trauma response and begin healing to avoid passing it to the next generation.  Generational trauma can be resolved if a holistic, intense intervention is implemented, but education about generational trauma can be beneficial. Therapy is only one way, but not the only way, to heal from the impacts and legacies of trauma, reconnecting to your cultural wisdom and knowledge and comprehending the last generation's healing methods is essential. Getting generational trauma from our parents is not our fault, but passing it to the next generation is. Let us all take a step forward to break the generational trauma.

By: Ayat Abdullhameed

December 3 marks the international day of persons with disabilities. Maintaining human rights, sustainable growth, peace and stability, depend on the inclusion of disabled people. The dedication to achieving the rights of people with disabilities is an investment in our shared future and an issue of justice. To make the world more accessible and equitable, it is essential for governments, the public sector, and the business sector to work together to discover cutting-edge solutions for and with people with disabilities.

The scientific community is filled with brilliant minds who struggle with some sort of disabilities, therefore it is crucial that they feel included and welcomed by the space and people around.

The physical design of a lab (or field location) and the design of its instruments can frequently make science practically inaccessible to some people. In addition, despite an increase in the representation of disabled scientists from 2008 to 2018, many scientists still decide not to declare a handicap because of institutional discriminatory policies and ingrained ableism.

All aspects of research, including labs, organizations, and funding bodies, must actively invest in creating space for and enhancing the experience for persons with disabilities, neurodiversity, or a mental health condition. Increasing accessibility of websites, implementing accessibility policies at conferences, using Universal Design in labs, and continuing remote working techniques that were started at the start of the COVID-19 epidemic are just a few examples of this practice's numerous manifestations.

The involvement of disabled scientists themselves at the forefront of these discussions is essential. Taking accessible steps in labs, conferences, and the field aids science and scientists regardless of a person's ability, even though inclusion and accessibility are crucial regardless.

The public view of what it takes to be a scientist with a handicap needs to be redefined as a first step in implementing these principles for the continued inclusion, participation, and leadership of disabled persons in science. Every person has a different experience, and being identified as "disabled" overlaps with various identities, which is an important thing to keep in mind.

By: Barez Ali

EIU’s Worldwide Cost of Living survey has been published recently in which cities with the highest cost of living have been announced. The survey announced that prices in 172 cities in the world have gone up by %8.1 due to reasons such as the Ukraine war and pandemic restrictions.

The bold increase in the oil and gas prices has negatively impacted economies in cities around the world. A litre of petrol has risen by %22. Also, some currencies lost values and it weakened many cities’ economies, especially many European cities. Less dependence on Russia’s energy by Europeans resulted in raising prices by %29.

Moscow is in the 37th position as they were in the 72nd last year, this is mainly because of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.

The EIU’s survey was conducted in a month, from August 16th to September 16th. It shows that New York and Singapore are the most expensive cities in the world while Tel Aviv, which was the third in last year’s ranking, is now in the second position. Los Angeles and Hong Kong are in fourth place. On the other hand, Damascus (Syria) and Tripoli (Libya) are the cheapest cities.

The survey includes comparison of cost of living in the 172 cities and analysed the prices of 200 goods and services. Significantly, it demonstrates %8.1 worldwide inflation rise.